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    • Federal Work-Study (FWS)

    Financial Aid

    Federal Work-Study

    The Federal Work–Study (FWS) program is a financial aid opportunity for eligible full-time or part-time enrolled students.

    FWS is part-time on or off-campus employment that provides students with income and valuable work experience. As a FWS student, the exact amount you’ll receive is determined by your financial need and the number of hours you work. We encourage work related to your program of study or community service work whenever possible. Learn how to accept your Federal Work-Study award here.

    Why Federal Work-Study works for you: 

    Flexible Scheduling

    Your supervisor will work with you to support your academic excellence and make sure your work schedule fits your busy life. FWS students work fewer than 30 hours per week.

    Professional Development

    Similar to a high-level internship, FWS positions provide real-world career experience. The skills you will develop can strengthen your resume.

    Connection on Campus

    You can find community at UT by connecting with peers, co-workers and supervisors during your FWS position. These connections may help you find a job after graduation!

    Additional Income

    Most UT FWS students earn about $3,000 per year. FWS students are paid biweekly and funds are direct deposited into the student account. 

    FWS students earn a minimum of $11/hour for on-campus positions and $16/hour for off-campus community services positions. 

    Participating in Federal Work-Study was a really great experience as a first-year student. I got to meet a lot of new people and it really helped me manage my priorities in a way that allowed me to be more successful. It also greatly reduced the financial stress that often comes with college.

    Elora
    College of Arts and Sciences

    Federal Work-Study Award Next Steps

    Accept your Federal Work-Study Award

    If you’ve been awarded FWS, accept the award in your MyUTK account:

    • Log into MyUTK using your NetID and password
    • Click on “Continue to MyUTK”
    • Click on “Accept Award Offer” in the “My Financial Information” section
    • Select the correct aid year
    • Follow the on-screen instructions and accept or decline your offer
      • Your total FWS award depends on:
        • When you apply (funding is first-come, first-serve)
        • Your level of financial need
        • UT’s funding availability
    • Complete the “Next Steps and Onboarding” documents and instructions in the dropdown menu below.

    Next Steps and Onboarding

    You must bring the following required documents to your onboarding session:

    1. Original IRS-approved documents (photocopies / images will NOT be accepted)
    2. A printed copy of Page 1 of your completed W-4 Form

    After you accept your FWS award, complete these steps before your onboarding appointment:

    1. Complete your FWS Personnel Form
    2. Set up direct deposit
      • Direct deposit is required for FWS. You must set this up electronically.
        • NOTE: You must attach an image of a voided check OR a direct deposit authorization letter (available from a branch location or via email from your personal bank) that shows both your bank routing number AND account number.
    3. Electronically complete page 1 of the I-9 Form
      • In the Employer Name or Code box, enter in 17617
      • Finish Section 1 and review your information for accuracy
      • Electronically sign the form
      • Click the “FINISH and SUBMIT” button at the bottom of the page
      • You may ignore the work location shown, which may display incorrectly as UT-Memphis (we will correct that on our side)
    4. Fill out and print page 1 of the W-4 Form to bring to your onboarding session
    5. Attend a scheduled fall FWS onboarding session OR contact One Stop to let us know the date and time you would like to come to One Stop for your onboarding session
      • Register for your 2024-2025 onboarding session here, OR
      • Onboarding sessions are also available at One Stop on Monday-Friday, 8:00-11:00 am and 1:30-4:30 pm.

    Ready to register for your 2024-2025 onboarding session? Click here to visit our onboarding registration page!

    Federal Work-Study Resources

    JobX/TimesheetX

    Use the below link to access the JobX/TimesheetX home page.

    JobX/TimesheetX Login

    Once you’ve logged in to the JobX/TimesheetX home page, follow the instructions from the options below to access the step-by-step manuals for further guidance.

    Student Instructions

    Once you’ve logged in to the home page, please follow the below steps to access the instruction manual:

    1. Click “Applicants & Employees.”
    2. Click “Applicant & Employee Training Presentation.”

    Supervisor Instructions

    Once you’ve logged in to the home page, please follow the below steps to access the job management, hiring, and timesheet management instructions:

    1. Click “On (or Off)-Campus Employers.”
    2. Click “Supervisor Training Presentation.”

    Timesheets

    Student Timesheet Deadline Details

    • The Student timesheet submission deadline is 10:00 a.m. on the Monday following the close of a payroll period.
    • Upon initial timesheet submission, the system will send an email notification to the primary supervisor.
      • There is currently not a way to have the system send this initial notification to secondary supervisor(s).

    PLEASE NOTE: Timesheets may only be submitted/approved one biweekly payroll period late.

    Supervisor Timesheet Deadline Details

    • The Supervisor timesheet approval deadline and payroll lock is 10:00 a.m. on the Tuesday following the close of the payroll period.
      • This is an absolute deadline, and missing it even by seconds will cause a two-week delay in student payment!
      • Twenty-four hours prior to the supervisor deadline, the system will send a warning message to ALL supervisors assigned to the student if the student has submitted a timesheet.
        • If the student is delinquent in submitting the timesheet the system will not know to send a supervisor warning message.

    PLEASE NOTE:  Timesheets may only be submitted/approved one biweekly payroll period late.

    Re-Enabling Dismissed Timesheets

    If a student accidentally dismisses their timesheet, they should immediately email onestop@utk.edu to request that the timesheet be re-enabled. The student will receive further instructions on how to resume time entry.

    Working During a Cancelled Class

    In order for a student to be able to work during a regularly-scheduled class or lab time, the below steps must be performed.

    Student Instructions

    You must provide the following to your direct supervisor:

    • Written proof of class cancellation from the instructor’s UTK email address.
      • It must show the subject and course number (i.e. “FYS 100”), as well as the date that the class was cancelled or, in case of early dismissal, the time the class was dismissed.
      • If the notification was provided on Canvas, please provide a screenshot showing the cancelled subject and course number, as well as the date of cancellation.

    Supervisor Instructions

    Once you have received the proof of cancellation from the student, you will need to do the following before the current pay period’s timesheet submission deadline:

    • Forward the proof of cancellation to onestop@utk.edu from your UTK email address with the following information for each shift that will need added to the student’s timesheet:
      • Approved date
      • Clock-In time
      • Clock-Out

    Payroll

    Payroll Schedule

    View the 2024 Summer FWS Payroll Schedule

    View the 2024-2025 FWS Payroll Schedule

    Updating Withholding or Direct Deposit

    Any employees wishing to update their withholding instructions will need to visit the UT Payroll Office at P115 Andy Holt Tower.

    Employees wishing to change their direct deposit setup must do so at directdeposit.tennessee.edu.

    NOTE: You will be required to attach an image of either a voided check or a Direct Deposit Authorization Form issued from a branch location of your bank (many banks can provide this via email).

    Increase to FWS Award

    A student may request an increase in their Federal Work-Study Award once they’ve received a warning from the JobX/TimesheetX system informing them that their award balance has fallen below $500.

    To request an increase in their award, the student must send the request to onestop@utk.edu from their UTK email account.  Once the request has been processed, the student will receive a response from the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships regarding the decision.

    NOTE: Any increases are subject to financial aid eligibility and to the availability of additional program funding.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Am I eligible for Federal Work-Study?

    Filing your FAFSA every year will help determine if you are eligible for the FWS program. If you did not receive a FWS award offer and are interested, contact One Stop to see if you are eligible!

    We recommend that you file your FAFSA before the UT priority deadline each year. 

    • Use UT’s federal school code — 003530

    How do I accept my Federal Work-Study Award?

    If you’ve been awarded FWS, accept the award in your MyUTK account:

    • Log into MyUTK using your NetID and password
    • Click on “Continue to MyUTK”
    • Click on “Accept Award Offer” in the “My Financial Information” section
    • Select the correct aid year
    • Follow the on-screen instructions and accept or decline your offer
      • Your total FWS award depends on:
        • When you apply (funding is first-come, first-serve)
        • Your level of financial need
        • UT’s funding availability
    • Complete the “Next Steps and Onboarding” documents and instructions in the following section

    How do I find a job?

    After you’ve accepted your FWS award, you can search and apply for jobs through JobX. 

    Although you will be able to apply for jobs, supervisors can’t hire you until you’ve completed the onboarding process. After you onboard, the UT Human Resources department will add you to their payroll system and you can be hired for a FWS position.

    Examples of FWS Jobs:  

    Check out examples of recent FWS positions:

    • Lab Assistant, Biochemistry & Cellular & Molecular Biology 
    • Reception Assistant, Center for Career Development 
    • Workshop Assistant – A+A Woodshop, College of Architecture and Design 
    • Student Ambassador, Multicultural Student Life
    • Zero Waste Programs Assistant, Office of Sustainability
    • Vet Assistant, Small Animal Clinical Sciences 
    • Scene Shop Assistant, Clarence Brown Theatre
    • Videographer / editor (REMOTE position), Engineering Communications 
    • Native American Interpretive Garden Student Worker, UT Gardens
    • Marketing Assistant, WUTK 90.3 FM Student Radio Station 
    • Baseball Video / Tech In-Game Tagger, Athletics 

    How do I keep my Federal Work-Study award?

    To keep your FWS award, you must continue to meet the eligibility requirements for Financial Aid. You also must file your FAFSA every year to determine continued eligibility.

    Tax Information and W-2 Forms

    The UT Payroll Office generates a Form W-2 for all FWS employees. 

    If you opted out of paper delivery: access your W-2 by logging into MyUTK and accessing MyIRISWeb. Once you’ve accessed MyIRISWeb, click “Benefits and Payments.”

    If you did not opt out of paper delivery: the W-2 hard copy will be mailed by January 31 to your permanent address on record. 

    For issues or questions about accessing the Form W-2, please contact the UT Payroll Office:

    400 W. Summit Hill Dr; UT Tower 9th Floor

    utpayroll@utk.edu

    (865) 974-5251